Two major stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) with their supporters.
The PDP chieftains who were formerly received at the party’s Secretariat on Saturday in Enugu are the former Chairman, of the Senate Committee on Anti-corruption and Financial Crimes, Senator Godfrey Chukwuka, and former Nigeria’s Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein, Ambassador Fidelia Akuabata Njeze.
Other members of the PDP that defected to APC are “Davidson Nnamani, Princess Juliet Oloto, Chika Idoko, Jonathan Eze, and Mr Umunna Ugwu, Ezi-Obodo Amechi Idodo of the Young Progressives Party (YPP).
The defection party was attended by leaders of APC including the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology and leader of APC Enugu State, Chief Uche Nnaji and the leader of APC Enugu State; APC National Deputy Chairman South, Chief Emma Eneukwu and APC National Vice Chairman South East, Dr Ijeoma Arodiogbu.
Speaking on his defection, Senator Utazi who represented Enugu North Senatorial district at the National Assembly between 2015 and 2023 said that he is joining APC because the only way to realize the Presidency of Igbo extraction was to join APC.
He noted that as a national politician, it would serve him better to join politics at the centre.
He said, “Today is a special day in my political career. As a national politician, I want to join politics at the centre. What we are doing in Enugu cannot take Enugu anywhere. I resigned from PDP. Nothing is coming to Enugu. If you are not at the centre, you are failing.
“The only way to get Igbo presidency is to serve as a servant at the APC. I want to serve in the party. APC is the only way to join the mainstream national. We will ensure that members join the party. With the party discipline, we will go far.”
On her part, Mrs Njeze, who was the former Minister of Aviation, said she was bringing peace to the party.
“My coming in is for peace and progress. Unity is strength. Plead for peace to avoid enmity. I will be loyal to the party because I know what loyalty is.”
Receiving the defectors, to the party, Chief Eneukwu charged them to shun anti-party activities, warning that the party would not tolerate it.
Commending the defectors, Eneukwu said that politics is all about numbers. “Political party is meant to win elections. Work for the party. Let’s stay put and build the family. We have the ability to win elections in the state.
“Victory comes with hard work, don’t look at the saboteurs. It is a new beginning for the party in 2027. We need more people. PDP in Enugu is now a mushroom party. Southeast must take its place in Nigeria. Igbo presidency is overdue.”
Also speaking, APC Vice Chairman, Ijeoma Arodiogbu appealed to the new members to unite for the success of the party in the next election.
“The broom in the party signifies unity and oneness. Enugu has made my job very easy. We have taken everybody. We plead for all to unite for the success of the party in the next election. We don’t want to tolerate indiscipline in the party, especially during elections. To gain employment opportunity, gain more people into the party.”
